Improvement in fire-escapes



T. A. MICHIE & J. W. WILLIAMS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

P atented July 3. 1877.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE AMIonIE AND JAMES w. WILLIAMS, on OHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA. T

IMPROVEMENT IN FlRE-ESCA PES. I a

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 192,778, dated July 3, 1877 application filed June 5, 1877.

To all. whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THEODORE A. MIGHIE and JAMES W. WILLIAMS, of Gharlottesville, in the county of Albemarle and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification The object of our invention is to provide a means of escape from burning buildings, and to construct the apparatuswith a view to assure the minds of timid and nervous Women and children, as well as to assure safe descent bodily.

It is readily understood that persons whose occupations have never required that exercise of the will necessary to lofty heights would be apt to lose nerve in attempting many of the usual fire-escapes. Indeed, there are very few who could, at a time of the greatest excitement, descend without a trepidation sufficient to endanger their hold upon the devices.

The improvements we have made in the construction of fire-escapes are designed to avoid these objections.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I represents an elevation of a portion of a building showing our fire-escape applied thereto; Fig. II, a horizontal section taken in line with balcony Fig. III, a detail section of the spiral stairs; Fig. IV, a bottom view; and Fig. V a detail of one of the steps and its center connection.

To the wall A of a hotel or other building we attach balconies B, with suitable railings a, and a fixed tower, (J, communicating therewith.

This tower is constructedof upright bars I),

strength within the least space,'and with the least possible weight of metal.

The tower may be circular or square. We

do not confine ourselves to any particular shape.

Within the tower is a spiral stairway, D,

access to which is had through openings or doors f opening upon the balconies B, prolongations 9, Fig. 2, of which form landings in the spiral stairway.

The tower is situated at any point; but to save numbers and unnecessary expense, one I at the bottom, serves as an inner fastening for the treads k of the spiral stairway, their outer fastenings being angleirons 1 upon the upright bars, or other suitable connection. A proper hand-rail, m, may also be provided for the stairway, and should run down beside the rod '5, at a suitable distance therefrom.

The stairs or treads are preferably fastened to the central rod 7; by eyes therein, or by being strung thereon, the intermediate separating-supports being sleeves in upon said rod, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Our great object is to construct a fire-escape which shall be capable of use by women and children with safety and assurance.

Our object is also to construct in as. light a manner and of as light materials as possible, consistent with due security.

The tower is made permanent, and may be placed at corners, between windows, or opposite and communicating with hall-doors.

A hand-rail might be dispensed with; but it is deemed desirable to have it.

'We claima V 1. As a fire-escape, a tower, G, constructed of upright bars b and surrounding holdingbands 0, fastened to the wall and provided with a spiral stairway,D, communicating with In testimony whereof we have hereunto set balconies B, substantially as described. our hands in the presence of two subscribing 2. In a permanent wall fire-eseape, tower G, Witnesses.

provided with a, spiral stairway, D, the steps THEODORE A. MIGHIE.

being fastened at their outer ends to the bars J. W. WILLIAMS.

b by angle-irons l, and at their inner ends to a Witnesses:

genter rod, 1', by separating supporting sleeves GEORGE TRUDELL,

m, as described. v JOHN E. BROOKS. 

